Asthma is a health challenge that affects your respiratory track, which can lead to a serious medical condition if not properly handled. If your child is suffering from asthma, you will want to create the safest possible environment for him/her in your home. But, in order to achieve this, you need to know the factors that trigger asthma and take all the necessary steps to eliminate them from your home in the best possible way.
One of the best and effective ways to control asthma is maintaining good air quality inside your home. Certain elements such as smoke from a cigarette or burned wood, dust, cooking gas and certain sprays such as perfumes can trigger asthma attacks in some people. Furthermore, air pollution and pollen are common triggers that can enter your home, especially if you leave the doors or windows open during the summer months.
Here are some vital things to know about how to eliminate the common triggers of asthma in your home.
1. Change The Air Conditioning Filter
When buying a home, consider purchasing a property that heats from the baseboard or radiator heater. Forced-air systems can enhance the development of mold and dust mites. If your home has a ventilation system of this type, you may want to seal the ventilation outlets or ducts in your child’s room with aluminum blankets and masking tape. You may also want to clean the other ducts in your home and change your heating filter regularly.
If you have to open the doors and windows of your house during the days with a high percentage of pollen outdoors, do so after mid-morning, because higher amounts of pollen usually occur between five and ten in the morning. If air quality is a problem, open the doors and windows of your home early in the morning before air pollution has time to build up. This practice could eliminate attacks in your home.
2. Dealing With Dust Mites
Dust mites is a common asthma trigger. Dust mites are microscopic insects that live in the dust part of your dwelling. Their diet consists of dead cells from the superficial layers of the skin of humans. Generally, they are found in abundance in upholstered furniture, in some types of beds and mattresses, and in carpets. The highest concentration of dust mites is usually found in the rooms.
3. Avoid Smoke and Dust
Do not allow anyone to smoke inside your home. If you smoke, stop smoking or smoke outside your home. In addition, change your aerosol cleaner products for versions that do not have an atomizer. Avoid candles with fragrances or room deodorant. Use air conditioning, especially on days when the dust or mold count is too high or when there are warnings about high levels of pollution.
4. Eliminate Dust Mite
Vacuum and clean the dust from your home (especially your child’s room) at least once a week. Use a special bag with small pores in your vacuum cleaner or purchase a vacuum cleaner that has a HEPA filter. When cleaning dust, wipe it with a damp cloth to avoid spreading dust mites in the air.
Avoid covering feather-based beds, bedspreads or pillows and instead, choose bedding that is made of synthetic materials. Wash all bedding in your child’s room with warm water and then dry it in the dryer.
5. Be Careful With Animals
Animals are significant asthma triggers – many people with asthma are allergic to one or more animals. Allergy symptoms in these people are caused by the reaction of their bodies to a specific protein found in saliva, urine or debris from the superficial layers of the skin of some animals (hair or animal feathers). The hair of the animals does not cause allergy in itself but can store dust mites, pollen or mold. Any animal that lives in a cage, both birds and rodents like gerbils, can produce waste that will attract mold and dust.
If you have a pet and your child is allergic to it, the best thing you can do is find another home. All warm-blooded animals can cause allergic reactions, however, cold-blooded animals (such as snakes, lizards, fish, and turtles) do not.
6. Controlling Your Child’s Asthma
It may seem complicated to keep your home asthma proof, especially if your home has multiple triggers. The truth is that you will not be able to eliminate them completely.
Ideally, take these steps to reduce asthma triggers in your home – when combined with the rest of your child’s asthma action plan, which may include regular use of medications and even injections to eliminate allergies – your child will breathe better and have fewer asthma attacks.
If you practice these measures but are still concerned about the quality of the air inside your home, you can purchase a HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filter, (also known as an Efficiency) for your child’s room or playroom. There are also air filtration systems, but these are usually much more expensive.
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